My wife and I are the parents of a man who has developmental disabilities. He participates in community-based programs in Lincoln. He has taught us a great deal about the need of all individuals to have the opportunity to realize their potential.

The Journal Star has made a commendable effort to inform its readers about issues related to some of Nebraska's developmentally disabled citizens.

Most of the recent articles and editorials have dealt with the difficult situation at the Beatrice State Developmental Center. Unfortunately, a key point made in the June 7 editorial may have inadvertently added to the public's misunderstanding of size of the broader population now receiving services and how needs of this group may be cost effectively met in the future.

The editorial states, "Parents and guardians of developmentally disabled Nebraskans are broadly divided into two camps. One group favors community-based programs. The other supports continuation of programs at the Beatrice center." That would imply that the two groups are roughly equal in size, which is most assuredly not the case.

Across Nebraska, residential services are provided for more than 2,700 developmentally disabled people in community-based settings outside of their family home. This includes more than 1,600 in group homes, almost 400 in homes of non-family members who are paid to provide care and over 700 in supervised apartments and similar settings.

Earlier this month, the BSDC census stood at just over 180 people, less than 7 percent of those clients living outside the family home who are served by community-based programs.

In addition to the 2,700 previously mentioned, there are more than 1,300 developmentally disabled individuals who receive some level of service while still living in their family homes. As their family caregivers become aged or infirm, a significant number of them and of those now on the waiting list for services will need additional help, including for some a move to supervised living accommodations.

Thanks to the 2009 legislature, funding was added to begin to reduce the waiting list for services, which now stretches back five to six years. The list now will become shorter but will still have several hundred names on it at the end of the year.

Yet to be considered is the need for more support for long-term clients of community-based programs. Many of these middle-aged adults still receive the same level of support (hours of service) that they did 10 to 25 or more years ago, while their needs continue to increase as they grow older.

Without doubt, the deplorable situation at BSDC should never have happened and must be corrected. The state's efforts to do so are strongly applauded. Beatrice may indeed be the best placement for a small segment of Nebraska's developmentally disabled.

However, the current focus on BSDC should not be allowed to obscure the needs of the great majority who either are, or can be, well served in community-based programs at a considerably lower cost per client.

Darrell G. Watts lives in Lincoln.